Freeplane vs Scapple
We give Freeplane a 3.4 GPA and Scapple a 3.0, out of 4.0. Freeplane grades higher on the free plan and features. Scapple grades higher on ease of use. They get the same grade on value for money and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Scapple
Freeform mind-mapping app for writers, on Mac and Windows
Free trial · from $20.99 one-time
How we grade them
| 3.4GPAFreeplaneVery good | 3.0GPAScappleVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree and open source, with no paid edition at all. Scripting, add-ons and the AI panel are all part of the one free app. The AI does need your own provider key. | A$20.99 once per platform, which is under three months of a typical subscription in this category. The license covers your own computers and those of family at home. Students and academics pay $16.79. Want it on a Mac and a Windows PC? That's two licenses. |
| Free plan and trial | AThe full application is free on Windows, macOS and Linux. Nothing is held back for a paid tier, because there isn't one. You can even carry a copy around on a USB drive. | CNo free version. The 30-day trial is the full app, and only the days you use it count toward the 30, which is generous. After that you buy a license. |
| Features | AKeyboard-driven mapping, styles that apply themselves when a node matches a rule, formulas that compute inside a node, and Groovy scripts shared as add-ons. Maps can be password-protected, and an AI panel can summarize or edit a map. For one person's mind maps, that's the job with real depth. | BNotes go anywhere on the page, and dragging one onto another joins them with a line or an arrow. There's no centre and no hierarchy. Stacks, background shapes and labels on connections keep things tidy, and notes drag into Scrivener. It does that one thing fully, and that's about all it does. |
| Ease of use | CNo App Store rating on record, and it's aimed at power users. Some downloads need a Java runtime installed separately, and only certain Windows and macOS installers bundle it. The AI wants your own OpenRouter or Gemini key, or an Ollama service. | BWe have no App Store rating on record, so a B is as high as this goes. It's about as simple as software gets, though: double-click to make a note, drag to connect two. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWindows, macOS and Linux, so all three desktops are covered. But there's no web or mobile version. An optional local MCP server lets apps like Claude Desktop work with your maps. The bundled macOS builds need macOS 14 or later. | BmacOS and Windows, sold as separate licenses, with no web, iOS or Android version. The Windows version, 1.4.2 from December 2022, is behind the Mac's 1.5.4 from November 2025. |
| Best for | free mind maps with formulas and scripts | loose notes and arrows before you start writing |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Freeplane and Scapple. How we grade
Where they differ
- Freeplane is free. Scapple starts at $20.99 one-time, per platform (macOS or Windows).
- Freeplane has a free plan. Scapple does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Freeplane lists a Linux app.
- Freeplane is open source, according to its own site.
- Scapple can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Freeplane also covers templates.
In commonWindowsmacOSMind mapping
At a glance
| Freeplane | Scapple | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free trial |
| Starts at | Free | $20.99 one-time, per platform (macOS or Windows) |
| Free plan | Freeplane is free and open source software with no paid edition. Installers for Windows, macOS and Linux are downloaded from the project's SourceForge page. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | 30-day free trial of the full version; only days on which the app is used count toward the 30 |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | Freeplane team | Literature & Latte Ltd. |
| Price read from | docs.freeplane.org | literatureandlatte.com |
| Checked | Oct 6, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Freeplane
- Power users who want formulas, scripts and rule-based formatting in a map
- Keeping mind maps as local files instead of in a cloud service
- Linux users, and anyone who wants a portable copy on a USB drive
- Former FreeMind users: Freeplane began as a fork of that project
Scapple
- Writers working out plots, arguments or research before drafting
- People who find a mind map with one central topic too rigid
- Scrivener users who want to carry rough notes into a project
- Buyers who prefer a one-time license to a subscription
Worth knowing
Freeplane
- Freeplane is a desktop Java application: the documentation lists downloads for Windows, macOS and Linux and no web or mobile version.
- Some downloads need a separately installed Java runtime (versions 11 to 21 for the Linux packages); only certain Windows and macOS installers bundle Java.
- The bundled macOS builds require macOS 14 or later.
- AI features need the user's own OpenRouter or Gemini key or an Ollama service, and the docs warn that map content sent to a provider may leave the machine.
Scapple
- Scapple is offered for macOS and Windows only; the vendor lists no web, iOS or Android version.
- Each license covers a single platform, so running Scapple on both a Mac and a Windows PC means buying two.
- Minor updates are free, but the vendor says a future major version such as Scapple 2 would be a paid upgrade.
- The Windows version (1.4.2, December 2022) is behind the macOS version (1.5.4, November 2025).
Key features
Freeplane
- Keyboard-driven mind mapping
- Enter adds a node, Tab adds a child, the arrow keys move between nodes and Space folds or unfolds a branch. Nodes can also be dragged into place with the mouse.
- Styles and conditional styles
- Styles set a node's formatting, and conditional styles apply one automatically when a node matches a rule based on its content, attributes, icons or level.
- Formulas and Groovy scripts
- A node whose text starts with = shows a computed result instead of the formula. Groovy scripts automate repeated edits and can change how the application behaves.
- Add-ons
- Scripts are packaged and shared as add-ons. The documentation lists examples such as Freeplane|GTD for task planning, Study Planner and several import and export tools.
- AI integration and MCP server
- An AI panel can summarize, rewrite, inspect and edit map content through OpenRouter, Gemini or an Ollama service. An optional local MCP server lets apps such as Claude Desktop work with maps.
- Templates and protected maps
- A new map can start from a standard or user-defined template, or be created password-protected so that it cannot be opened or read without the password.
Scapple
- Notes anywhere on the page
- Double-clicking any spot on the page creates a note there. Notes can be moved and rearranged at any time, and the page keeps growing so there is always more room.
- Connections without a hierarchy
- Dragging one note onto another joins them with a line or an arrow. No note is the center of the map, notes can stay unconnected, and connections can carry labels.
- Stacks and background shapes
- Related notes can be stacked into columns, and background shapes group a set of notes visually. The appearance of individual notes can be customized.
- Export and printing
- Boards can be printed or exported. The release notes refer to PDF and PNG output on the Mac and to plain text, rich text and OPML export.
- Hand-off to Scrivener
- Notes can be dragged from a Scapple board into Scrivener, the vendor's long-form writing app, to be developed into a draft.
- Household license
- A license bought from the vendor covers every computer the buyer owns and mainly uses, plus the computers of family members living in the same house.
Plans
Freeplane
Free$0
The full application for Windows, macOS and Linux, including scripting, add-ons and the AI integration. AI use needs the user's own provider key.
Scapple
Standard Licence$20.99
one-time, per platform (macOS or Windows)
The full version for one platform, under a household license that covers the buyer's own computers and those of family in the same home.
Educational Licence$16.79
one-time, per platform (macOS or Windows)
The same full version at 20% off for students and academics, who need an institutional affiliation to qualify.
Ways to pay less
Freeplane
No public discounts listed.
Scapple
- Education
20% off for students and academics
The vendor's store sells an Educational Licence to students and academics with an institutional affiliation: $16.79 instead of $20.99 in US pricing, on macOS or Windows.
